The present invention relates to card games. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in card games in which players wager amounts based on the outcome of the game.
Various card games are played around the world in casinos and video gaming machines. Some of the more popular games, for example poker and blackjack, are well understood by the general public and are well entrenched with casino players. Blackjack tables, for example, are believed to provide over 75% of available game seats in casino game table areas. Thus, while many new games and many innovations to traditional games have been proposed, each of these must overcome the initial tendency of players to avoid the unfamiliar.
There have been efforts to enhance traditional wagering games by providing additional wagering and payoff opportunities. One successful example is the progressive jackpot method disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,341, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
Many of these efforts, however, have failed to gain popularity at least in part because they require alteration or interruption of traditional game rules. Players unfamiliar with new rules are therefore unable to play the game they know without participating in the game enhancement. With other traditional options available, many of these players hesitate to invest the time to learn a new game.
The present invention recognizes and addresses at least some of the foregoing disadvantages, and others, of prior art construction and methods.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wagering card game.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wagering card game providing an enhanced wagering opportunity.
Some of these objects are achieved by a method of playing a wagering card game having rules substantially based on the card game twenty-one. A plurality of playing cards is provided, each card having a back side and a front side, the back side including a design common to all the playing cards and the front side indicating a value of the card. A symbol is provided on at least one of the cards that distinguishes that card from other cards in the plurality of cards. The card game is played under the twenty-one rules. During play, an amount is wagered upon the chance that a participant in the card game receives a card having the symbol. When the wager is unsuccessful, at least a portion of the wagered amount is put into a progressive jackpot. When the wager is successful, a return amount is paid from the progressive jackpot.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of playing cards configured to be used in a card game is provided. A playing area is provided having a plurality of player stations. A symbol is provided at each player station that is unique from the symbol of each other player station. The unique symbols are provided on respective sets of playing cards of the plurality of playing cards, each set including at least one playing card. During play of the card game, a first amount is wagered upon the chance that a first predetermined event will occur during play. A second amount is wagered on the chance that a second predetermined event will occur during play. Upon occurrence of the first event, a first return amount is paid to a player having wagered the first amount. Upon occurrence of the second event, a second return amount is paid to a player having wagered the second amount, the second return amount being dependent at least in part upon whether a card having a symbol occurs within the event and whether one or more symbols occurring within the event match the symbol at the player station at which the player having wagered the second amount is located.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of playing a card game in which at least one player participates which includes the steps of:
(a) associating a unique symbol with each respective player;
(b) providing such symbol on at least one respective card in a plurality of cards;
(c) dealing cards to at least one player and to a dealer;
(d) playing the card game according to a set of rules;
(e) allowing at least one player to wager an amount upon a chance that at least one predetermined event will occur during the playing of the game, the predetermined event being dependent at least on the player""s cards at the time; and
(f) upon occurrence of the said predetermined event paying a return amount to the player who wagered the said amount, the return amount being dependent at least on whether one or more of the said player""s cards and the dealer""s cards, at the time, include the symbol associated with the said player.
This invention also provided apparatus by means of which at least one player can play a card game, the apparatus including at least one player station, a symbol which is uniquely associated with the player station, input means at the player station for accepting at least first and second wagers made by a player at the player station, cards which bear a plurality of symbols and which are distributed, after the wagers are made, to the player and to a dealer who receives at least one card the symbol of which is obscured, means for paying a first return to the player if the player made a successful first wager in terms of rules of the card game, and means for paying a second return to the player if the player made a successful first wager, the amount of the second return depending at least on the obscured symbol of the dealer""s card.
According to a different aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus by means of which at least one player can play a card game, the apparatus including a card table with a plurality of player stations, unique symbols which are respectively associated with the player stations, a plurality of cards, at least some of the cards respectively having at least some of the symbols, and means for accumulating a progressive first level jackpot based on wagers made by at least one player, a payout from the first level jackpot, upon a successful wager by a player, being dependent in amount at least on whether one or more of the said player""s cards at the time include the symbol associated with the said player""s player station.